Microsoft Remote Deskop is an effective free tool for managing remote-desktop connections from a Mac. Perfect for those who travel frequently, or those who have a Mac/PC environment at work that they need to interface with, this free app provides most of the basic tools necessary.
Pros
Fast and intuitive: Microsoft Remote Desktop's basic tools allow you to access your remote Windows desktop and open common programs, sort through files, and manipulate your machine from a Mac over an Internet connection. This is an invaluable tool.
Clean user interface: The interface is decidedly Mac-friendly, offering a range of tools that can quick-start popular Windows programs or folders that you use frequently on your PC. Whether you're booting up Remote Desktop quickly to access your machine or you're using it for long work sessions, the layout of the tools is effective.
Cons
Limited display options: The display options can be limited at times, with dock and menu hide options not available in certain configurations. Multiscreen support sometimes causes issues when you switch back to single-screen use, which can be frustrating when you're managing multiple apps or switching between interfaces.
The honorable mention this week goes out to Mikogo, a cross-platform remote management and online meeting platform that supports WIndows, OS X, Linux, Android, and iOS. On the desktop, using it is.
Bottom Line
Microsoft Remote Desktop for Mac is a useful free tool that allows you to access your Windows programs and files from a remote Mac. That alone is reason enough to download it, if you work on both systems and need to move files between them often. Remote Desktop is not as robust as other paid tools, but for infrequent transfers or very basic needs, it gets the job done.